Lie vs. Platitude — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Lie and Platitude
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Definitions
Lie➦
A lie is an assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with the purpose of deceiving someone. The practice of communicating lies is called lying.
Platitude➦
A platitude is a trite, meaningless, or prosaic statement, often used as a thought-terminating cliché, aimed at quelling social, emotional, or cognitive unease. The statement may be true, but its meaning has been lost due to its excessive use.Platitudes have been criticized as giving a false impression of wisdom, making it easy to accept falsehoods: A platitude is even worse than a cliché.
Lie➦
(of a person or animal) be in or assume a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface
I had to lie down because I was groggy
The body lay face downwards on the grass
Lily lay back on the pillows and watched him
Platitude➦
A remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful
She began uttering liberal platitudes
Lie➦
Be, remain, or be kept in a specified state
Putting homeless families into private houses that would otherwise lie empty
The abbey lies in ruins today
Platitude➦
A trite or banal remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant.
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Lie➦
(of a place) be situated in a specified position or direction
Kexby lies about five miles due east of York
Platitude➦
Lack of originality; triteness
"a passage of platitude which no critical prejudgment can force us to admire" (Edgar Allan Poe).
Lie➦
(of an action, charge, or claim) be admissible or sustainable
An action for restitution would lie for money paid in breach of the law
Platitude➦
(countable) An often-quoted saying that is supposed to be meaningful but has become unoriginal or hackneyed through overuse; a cliché.
Lie➦
Tell a lie or lies
‘I am sixty-five,’ she lied
Why had Ashenden lied about his visit to London?
Platitude➦
(countable) A claim that is trivially true, to the point of being uninteresting.
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Lie➦
The way, direction, or position in which something lies
He was familiarizing himself with the lie of the streets
Platitude➦
(uncountable) Flatness; lack of change, activity, or deviation.
Lie➦
An intentionally false statement
The whole thing is a pack of lies
They hint rather than tell outright lies
Platitude➦
(uncountable) Unoriginality; triteness.
Lie➦
To be or place oneself at rest in a flat, horizontal, or recumbent position; recline
He lay under a tree to sleep.
Platitude➦
The quality or state of being flat, thin, or insipid; flat commonness; triteness; staleness of ideas of language.
To hammer one golden grain of wit into a sheet of infinite platitude.
Lie➦
To be placed on or supported by a surface that is usually horizontal
Dirty dishes lay on the table. See Usage Note at lay1.
Platitude➦
A thought or remark which is flat, dull, trite, or weak; a truism; a commonplace.
Lie➦
To be or remain in a specified condition
The dust has lain undisturbed for years. He lay sick in bed.
Platitude➦
A trite or obvious remark
Lie➦
To exist; reside
Our sympathies lie with the plaintiff.
Lie➦
To consist or have as a basis. Often used with in
The strength of his performance lies in his training.
Lie➦
To occupy a position or place
The lake lies beyond this hill.
Lie➦
To extend
Our land lies between these trees and the river.
Lie➦
To be buried in a specified place.
Lie➦
(Law) To be admissible or maintainable.
Lie➦
(Archaic) To stay for a night or short while.
Lie➦
To present false information with the intention of deceiving.
Lie➦
To convey a false image or impression
Appearances often lie.
Lie➦
To say or write as a lie.
Lie➦
The manner or position in which something is situated.
Lie➦
A haunt or hiding place of an animal.
Lie➦
(Sports) The position of a golf ball that has come to a stop.
Lie➦
A false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood.
Lie➦
Something meant to deceive or mistakenly accepted as true
Learned his parents had been swindlers and felt his whole childhood had been a lie.
Lie➦
(intransitive) To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
The book lies on the table;
The snow lies on the roof;
He lies in his coffin
Lie➦
(intransitive) To be placed or situated.
Lie➦
To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.
To lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hidden; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves
The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.
Lie➦
Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.
Lie➦
Used with with: to have sexual relations with.
Lie➦
Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.
Lie➦
(archaic) To lodge; to sleep.
Lie➦
To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
Lie➦
(legal) To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.
Lie➦
(intransitive) To give false information intentionally with intent to deceive.
When Pinocchio lies, his nose grows.
If you are found to have lied in court, you could face a penalty.
While a principle-based approach might claim that lying is always morally wrong, the casuist would argue that, depending upon the details of the case, lying might or might not be illegal or unethical. The casuist might conclude that a person is wrong to lie in legal testimony under oath, but might argue that lying actually is the best moral choice if the lie saves a life.
Lie➦
(intransitive) To convey a false image or impression.
Photographs often lie.
Lie➦
To be mistaken or unintentionally spread false information.
Sorry, I haven't seen your keys anywhere...wait, I lied! They're right there on the coffee table.
Lie➦
(golf) The terrain and conditions surrounding the ball before it is struck.
Lie➦
(disc golf) The terrain and conditions surrounding the disc before it is thrown.
Lie➦
(medicine) The position of a fetus in the womb.
Lie➦
A manner of lying; relative position.
Lie➦
An animal's lair.
Lie➦
An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.
I knew he was telling a lie by his facial expression.
Lie➦
A statement intended to deceive, even if literally true.
Lie➦
(by extension) Anything that misleads or disappoints.
Lie➦
See Lye.
Lie➦
A falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive.
The proper notion of a lie is an endeavoring to deceive another by signifying that to him as true, which we ourselves think not to be so.
It is willful deceit that makes a lie. A man may act a lie, as by pointing his finger in a wrong direction when a traveler inquires of him his road.
Lie➦
A fiction; a fable; an untruth.
Lie➦
Anything which misleads or disappoints.
Wishing this lie of life was o'er.
Lie➦
The position or way in which anything lies; the lay, as of land or country.
He surveyed with his own eyes . . . the lie of the country on the side towards Thrace.
Lie➦
To utter falsehood with an intention to deceive; to say or do that which is intended to deceive another, when he a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation.
Lie➦
To rest extended on the ground, a bed, or any support; to be, or to put one's self, in an horizontal position, or nearly so; to be prostate; to be stretched out; - often with down, when predicated of living creatures; as, the book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin.
The watchful traveler . . . Lay down again, and closed his weary eyes.
Lie➦
To be situated; to occupy a certain place; as, Ireland lies west of England; the meadows lie along the river; the ship lay in port.
Lie➦
To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition; as, to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hid; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves; the paper does not lie smooth on the wall.
Lie➦
To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist; - with in.
Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances.
He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labor, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen.
Lie➦
To lodge; to sleep.
Whiles I was now trifling at home, I saw London, . . . where I lay one night only.
Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night.
Lie➦
To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
The wind is loud and will not lie.
Lie➦
To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.
What he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head.
Lie➦
A statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
Lie➦
Norwegian diplomat who was the first Secretary General of the United Nations (1896-1968)
Lie➦
Position or manner in which something is situated
Lie➦
Be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
Lie➦
Be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position;
The sick man lay in bed all day
The books are lying on the shelf
We had to stand for the entire performance!
Lie➦
Originate (in);
The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country
Lie➦
Be and remain in a particular state or condition;
Lie dormant
Lie➦
Tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive;
Don't lie to your parents
She lied when she told me she was only 29
Lie➦
Have a place in relation to something else;
The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West
The responsibility rests with the Allies
Lie➦
Assume a reclining position;
Lie down on the bed until you feel better
